i would never allow my 5 and 9 year old

Never before Dec.10 but this year need uplifting sm [2008-11-17]
Perhaps I can ask hubby to drag out my nice blue spruce from the basement for Thanksgiving as where I live the recession is hitting big and we need some joy. I will never forget the kids discovering the tree was fake as it is pretty well made and looks real. It was a hilarious moment of shrieking, Hey, Guys, this tree is fake! Used tohave beautiful, country-themed tastefullydecorated trees and wreaths put up in mid-Dec.So, what the heck, Ireason why I went fake and a bad tree that got so bald by Christmas we had to take it down and had no tree at all that year. Just trying to be festive and lighten the mood. Maybe I will go early, depending on hubbyThat thing again! Oh well.Gotta loosen up a bit.

I still get a couple loaf pans of it every year at butchering time [2008-11-15]
DH doesn't touch it but I love it. I grew up on it too. I also grew up on Spam. Mom had a stove that had a pull out griddle above the oven and she would put spam and egss on there for a Tuesday night supper. I have 2 cans of Spam in my pantry now. The ingredients state: Pork with ham, mechanically separated chicken, water , salt, modified potato starch, sugar, hickory smoke flavoring (I have the hickory smoke flavor), and sodiu nitrite. Opps. There's that bad word-sodium nitrite.

You did the right thing. A year and a half ago 5 girls, sm [2008-11-13]
from a town that I used to live in, (1 had been in preschool with my daughter), just graduated from high school, were on their way to the family cottage of one of the girls, and they were all killed in a crash. There had been a text message sent from the driver's phone just before the crash. Everyone left behind was devastated. Hopefully your actions will save her life.

I did it a couple year ago , got 130 or 135 forget - sm [2008-11-09]
which, but either is a very respectable score. My one brother has a genius IQ, and my other is very intelligent, and I have a good head on my shoulders.....though have a usless college degree for the most part, may go back one of these days and get an accounting degree or nursing, who knows.

I have a 16-year-old and 14-year-old..... [2008-11-04]
They donsocially? They are at school socializing all day......Yes, I'm too strict!!!

I have a 17 year old daughter, a senior. [2008-11-04]
She actually doesn't ask to be out during the school week. She's in drama club and working on college applications and homework. If she did ask, I think as long as her homework was done I'd probably let her be out until about 9:00. Her bedtime isn't until 11, but she needs the wind-down time. Weekends, it's midnight.

I made Cinnebons with my bread machine one year. [2008-11-02]
That was the year I heard the most positive comments back. Loved them! Used disposable 8 x 8 tins and wrapped them up pretty with red and green Saran wrap. Over the years I have gotten the plastic trays that are shaped like Santa or something like that and made cookies, fudge, made 1 of the slots mixed nuts and mints. Those also went over well, especially the families with kids.

How about a spoiled rotten 40-year-old [2008-10-31]
Amazon Parrot? She is so beautiful and knows it! She has a bright yellow head and talks to the dogs, and all the dogs we have had prior to this one. About 3 years ago I bought her one of those parrots that will talk back and flap its wings and repeats everything you say. She loves BIRDIE so much that I tried to pick it up (have to admit was teasing her with it and kissing it) and she got so jealous she bit my leather jacket and made a hole in it!So much for the jacket, but I love my Morry. We thought she was a boy so we named her Morris, then we were told she was a female. . . I switched her name to Morrisa, i.e. Morry. Wish you could meet her. She is just darling and spoiled and rotten and . . . . . . . .

I wish Christmas were all year long, [2008-10-31]
xxxx

I wish Christmas were all year long, [2008-10-31]
xxxx

hubby just called our 5 year old a dumba__ [2008-10-27]
He was in the living room making a fire and my son kept touching things he told him not to and i heard him say, I said quit touching the wood, dumb__ I came out of the bedroom stomping down the hall and took my son back here with me. I am in tears, I can't believe he would call him that!!!! am i over reacting??

I watch it 12 times every season on the TBS marathon. I can't wait to do it AGAIN for 15th year. [2008-10-26]
nm

Are you cutting back on Christmas this year? [2008-10-22]
With things being the way they are with the economy are you cutting back on what you buy for Christmas this year? I will to some extent but then I'm always pretty careful anyway.

That ad has been running for almost a year in [2008-10-22]
our newspaper, also with the must order within 48 hours. When I saw that, it rang a bell for another heater I did buy and was I ever sorry. I would have checked out the company claims a little more before jumping on something like that. Another point: You will not get the amount of heat you do with wood. Can you possibly convert your wood heater to coal and wood or even pellets? Weused wood for 20 years (Fisher stove)and I, too, was tired of getting up in the middle of the night 2-3 times. Ibegged forcentral heat in our new place and boy, was I sorry. I was always cold (for 10 years). So, last year we bought a used coal/wood burner. What a difference! I'll never go back to central heat again. That stove heats our 1500 sq. foot home and I'm never running around with sweaters on anymore. I don't have to get up in the night to fix it, either. My son bought a pellet stove last year for his 3 story home. They love it and doncentral heat either. It does cost a few bucks more for the pellets.I think he bought $1000 worth, while we only spent $500 on coal and the wood is free.

The 2 and 4-year-old are doing well...sm [2008-10-14]
It is just the 8 year old who is not. Not to say the other 2 aren't sad that they can't see their mom I'm sure but they are not as distraught like the oldest. He seems to understand more what has happened.

Maybe they light themselves, and last for a whole year! [2008-10-03]
Maybe they blow themselves out too!

It would almost pay my rent for a year. [2008-09-29]

I posted that last year [2008-09-26]
it was a church party as well but it was my husband who wore that. I wore sweats and pinned sponges all over my clothes and went as self-absorbed.

One year...sm [2008-09-25]
for a church party, I wore sweats and pinned socks and other small clothing items to my clothes with some drier sheets and went as static cling. Very cheap and good for a some laughs.

I'm making costumes this year (SM) [2008-09-25]
My two youngest daughters love to dress up with their costumes after Halloween, but the costumes from the stores fall apart after only a few wearings. I figure if I make them, they'll last at least a few months longer! INurses are Tweet, my middle daughter (4) picked out Bugs Bunny saying What My littlest daughter (2) picked out Dora the Explorer. I'm making them roomy enough so they can layer all kinds of warm stuff underneath their scrubs--Iowa is COLD during Trick or Treating! I am also buying them cheapo single-head stethoscopes for $5 each. I figure I'll spend about the same amount on the material, pattern, notions, etc., as I will to buying a costume that will fall apart soon after H'ween. Hubby is asking me for a new fall scrub shirt to wear to work, too, so hopefully I'll get it done too on time.

Yes, but I want my 40 year old boobs back. [2008-09-24]
xx

I made my son a crayon one year. He loved it because he could move around in it. That meant more can [2008-09-24]
nm

Saw someone one year in white sweats... [2008-09-24]
top and bottom, with crumpled up items all over them.....white trash. It won the contest at the hospital I worked at.

I hit that milestone this year, too. SM [2008-09-23]
I have to admit, it has a different ring than saying you are still in your 50s, which now that we are on the subject, I was not thrilled with either. Nothing we can do to change it, so let HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Last year I said same thing, Christmas is for children. SM [2008-09-18]
And I got clobbered on this board. Practically called un-Amreican. I believe Christmas is for children. Up to age 18. After that, perhaps a check is in order, but that's about it. As far as gifts for aunts, uncles, cousins, second cousins, postman, WHOMEVER, forget it. Bake cookies. Have a party and invite friends and neighbors. Say you are sending check to charity of choice and ask family and friends to do same. That is charity of their choice, since I know my family doesn't agree on anything. But presents? Presents most of the people would not even want? Forget it.

Abraham Lincoln's Thanksgiving Proclamation 1863 [2008-11-19]
Abraham Lincoln while that theatre has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union. Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defence, have not arrested the plough, the shuttle, or the ship; the axe had enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege and the battle-field; and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years, with large increase of freedom.No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy.It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and voice by the whole American people. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to his tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquillity and Union.In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.Done at the city of Washington, this third day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the independence of the United States the eighty-eighth.By The President: Abraham LincolnWilliam H. Seward, Secretary of State

We have been spending less than 100 [2008-11-19]
And we are starving. DH took over going to the grocery store from me (He thought I spent too much when I would spend about 150 a week.) It has been months since we do not have a bare cupboard. I am not complaining. I understand we are broke and he needs to pay the creditors. But the one person who has pretty much stopped eating is me. I am home all day and there is never bread to make a sandwich and I often pass up supper because I am tired of eating junky stuff like mac and cheese or spaghetti with meat sauce. He and our 11 year old son, on the other hand eat thirds of whatever meal it is. I get kind of annoyed. Our littlest boy and middle girl eat very little. All 3 take their lunch to school. I say to DH either stop eating so much (for him and the older boy) or buy more. He flips his eyes at me. We even stopped getting microwave popcorn which used to fill them up. So, now I am hoping to work extra to go to the grocery store myself and put an extra 100 a week in myself, but I keep running out of work. You see, this all started when we started running out of work in transcription about a year ago this fall, and my DH took over the bills. Apparently food was the first to be cut. And, BTW I don't ever go anywhere because there is no gas in my car, and it has 2 flat tires. We live by the school and I borrow DH's car to take the kids but it is always on empty. We seem to make it every time. Oh, well. No need to complain. Just cutting back. The family is lucky I work at home, don't use gas, barely eat. But I do have to pay 10 bucks a month for nerve pills, because it is hard doing without. Like I said, when work picks up transcribing first place I am going after I get gas for the car is to the food store. Eventually I can repair my flat tires.

Don't use your debit cards [2008-11-19]
I had a problem with fraud on my account through them. Surely they have fixed it by now, as this was last year and the year before (yes 2 separate occurrences, both at xmas time). So I would not suggest using any cards there but cash only. I do agree that it seems to be a great idea for teens. Their prices are great and our location has always been helpful with advise, returns, etc. Another good idea I have found for teenagers is a gift card for restaurants or gas stations. It helps their parents a bit and if they have a girlfriend/boyfriend places like AppleBees or Red Lobster are nice so that they can go on a nice date and not have to worry about $30 for the bill. Even with a part-time job that's a lot of money for a teenager! :) My nephew actually requests it.

Your welcome! Don't forget to [2008-11-19]
check the theater website for coupons or a frequent visitor card. He probably wouldn't fill one out himself but you could fill it out and include it in with the gift card. Usually you can get free drinks, etc. and it will really stretch the gift card. We did a movie pack for my brother-in-law and sister-in-law last year. I found a plastic popcorn bucket at the $1 store and wal-mart had candy in the boxes (like at the movies) for a $1. Turned out to be a very cute gift if I do say so myself. We through the giftcard in there instead of buying a $3 card to go along with the giftcard.

A good gift for either... [2008-11-19]
is the small cologne/perfume gift sets you can get at the mall stores. they usually have 5-8 small bottles for $20 or so. Sometimes you can also get whatever their free offer is for a sweatshirt or duffle bag with it too. We did this one year for all the nieces/nephews between 14 and 21 and they all said they loved it. It gave them an opportunity to try different things without being stuck with 1 fragrance and it surprisingly lasts a kid a pretty long time because they don't want to smell like that every day but when they go out it is something special. The girl might also like a gift certificate for a makeup counter to get her colors done and skin consultation. That's if her parents allow her to wear make up. I wish someone had given me one of those when I was that age. Most teens don't realize its not the amount of makeup you put on but HOW you put it on that makes the difference.

My mom had a similar problem with [2008-11-19]
Ambrielle. She also bought several and took the tags off to wear them, but they still left her return them. She did save her receipt, though. JCP has always stood behind their products. I have bought and returned numerous things over the years and never had a problem. One time in particular comes to mind. I had purchased a Worthington purse for $40. A year later, I was still using it and it broke on me in the middle of the mall. I didn The clasp on the side just came apart. I took to the JCP in the mall and they allowed me to exchange it for a similar purse in the same price range. No receipt, no tags, and a year old. Can't beat that!

We have a Chevy HHR and a Jeep sm [2008-11-18]
The HHR is the first new car we have had, and it was a year old when we bought it. DH also had a Chevy C-10 pickup truck that he sold a couple of months ago because it needed a transmission. The Jeep was my mom's that she sold to us when she moved a couple of years ago. We have mostly had GM products. The only foreign car we ever had was a 1985 Mercedes 300 SEL that turned into a money pit. We ended up selling it a year after we bought it and barely got back what we paid. It was a nice car for about 2 months but unless I can afford to buy new with a warranty, which will most likely be never, I wouldn't buy another one. My dad drives Toyotas now, which is so funny because he is the one who got me into liking classic cars like Mustangs, Impalas, Firebirds, etc.

Last month I spent $321 for 3 of us. [2008-11-18]
It's just DH, 18 year-old son, and I. We live in the Philadelphia area. We generally eat far less meat than most American families, but we aren't vegetarian. My son commutes to a nearby university and works there, as well. He provides his own lunches, and probably only eats breakfast at home half of the time. Now, if you want to factor in what we pay for the meal plan for our son who lives away at college, well then... that's a whole other story! KA-CHING!

This is incredible [2008-11-18]
especially considering an 18-year-old has the appetite of 3 people.

I have a tracfone - sm [2008-11-18]
the minutes do not expire per se. Your service plan does though. I buy mine one year at a time, $99 for a year of service, then you buy minutes. Granted I buy a service plan and minutes together, and have the double minutes for life plan too. You can rollover minutes when your renew your service. You can get service either every two months or yearly I believe. I can text with my phone which is one of the Motorola flip phones. I used to have an old dinosaur Nokia but upgaded to a new phone for $10 or so at the Dollar store, phones are a lot cheaper there. If he is a yakker then it will get expensive fast, texting is a bit cheaper but he gets into the habit of doing that all the time his units will disappear fast. It is a good phone to have for the occasional call, etc. I would not use it as an everyday general use phone though. My old model phone actually worked better and got a signal just about everywhere, my new one is good but does not work everywhere my old one did, but I like it much better as it is smaller and lighter.

eating out of the [2008-11-18]
Colorado - we buy a half a grass fed beef for the freezer and that lasts a year. We buy a lot of the vending snacks at Sam's because we have teenagers that need food for their back packs or they will eat out because they are gone all day. We do not ever eat out unless it is a birthday and then we spend $100.00 on a nice restaurant. We have a garden for herbs, onions, garlic, etc.

Are anyone's children into the "Twighlight" craze? [2008-11-18]
The book series by Stephanie Meyers? It My 14 year old and her friends are absolutely crazy about the books and now that the movie is coming out itThe movie is out Friday and she already has presale tickets. I havenI have to say the movie lookslike it might be really good.

I'm embarrassed to say this, but [2008-11-18]
we usually eat out at least 3 if not 4 nights a week. Always eat out on Fridays and Saturdays and then usually Tuesday and Thursday nights. I generally cook a large family meal on Sunday with enough leftovers to last through Monday. Tuesday night we either order in and Wednesdays we have breakfast for dinner -- my kids love that one. Thursdays we usually order in because it We usually eat out Friday nights because we go to get groceries (I don Saturday we We When it was a 15-minute drive to town, I planned our meals ahead of time and usually only ordered once a week or once every 2 weeks and we only ate out on Saturdays. We seemed to have picked up these extra 2 nights of ordering in out of convenience (a nicer word than laziness). Oh the cost -- I have 3 kids and a hubby. On the nights we order in, we spend about $25 to $30 (saving because of no drinks or appetizers). When we eat out, the bill is usually around $50. So altogether, I guess I spend about $155 a week on eating out -- WOW/YIKES! Thanks for making me realize that. I think it

Yeah, the True Blood series is basically like soft porn... [2008-11-18]
definitely not advisable for a 14 year old!!!

YEAH baby!! Me too. sm [2008-11-18]
About 10 years ago I bought a Honda HX with prototype gas-efficient trannie, light wheels, no frills. That puppy would still be with me if not for the prototype trannie pretty much fizzled on most of the HXs but I milked mine for as long as possible. Ex had a Prelude, same year (99). He loved the car and took great care of it. Gas was killing him though (uses it to drive and travels a bit). He wanted to keep it in the family so he sold it to me. I drive about 5000 miles a year, if that. Amost 300,000 miles on that one and what a dream it is!!! He bought a new Civic. Another SWEET car. My son has a 1990 Accord, bought it used with less than 100,000 miles about 3 years ago. We've put some money into it, mostly cosmetic and just catching stuff up, but it runs like new. My Civic was actually built in US, so I didn't feel too guilty, but how many years have US automakers had to see the writing on the wall? I'm sorry, but I like keeping a car forever. No car payments are great. Honda fits that mold.

Check eBay. I am a doll collector and restorer on the side sm [2008-11-17]
I am also into reborning, though I have yet to have any to ebay. I tend to do very personalized custom dolls. I also sew doll clothing, but I chose not to do that this year because I have not had the right kind of time. Save my email address because I will start to have some doll clothing next year when I am no longer on hiatus. I had to take the time off because I am landscape painting this fall, now I feel badly I can't help you!

Us too - sm [2008-11-17]
On 11/13 we had to say goodbye to our 19-year old cat named AhAh. We've lost many over the years, and each one hurts as if it was the one and only. So sorry for your loss.

Pitbull Hero [2008-11-17]
Stray Pit Bull Saves Woman, Child from AttackerPet Pulse Staff Reports Browse NewsFront Page BY CATEGORY:Alerts Notices Animal Attacks Care Safety Crime Law Cruelty Abuse Deaths Accidents Entertainment Health Science Heroes International Lost Found New Trends Petlanthropy Strange But True Survival BY PET:Dogs Cats Fish Birds Horses Reptiles Small Pets Other Pets November 5, 2008 A dog came out of nowhere and stopped a knife-wielding robber from accosting a mother and her young son on Monday afternoon. (Pet Pulse Illustration by Tim Mattson) PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. -- The wandering 65-pound Pit Bull mix might have seemed menacing to some passerby, but one woman will always remember him as her guardian angel. The dog, which authorities think is lost and not a stray, successfully thwarted a robbery attack on a mother and her 2-year-old son, who were held at knifepoint Monday afternoon. The Florida woman, who has been identified by authorities simply as Angela, was leaving a playground with her toddler son in Port Charlotte when a man approached her in the parking lot with a knife and told her not to make any noise or sudden movements. Angela didn't have to do either to protect herself and her child -- a dog mysteriously ran to the scene and charged the man, who quickly fled. I don Animal Control Lt. Brian Jones told Pet Pulse. I don The exceptional part of the story, Jones said, is that the dog had never met or even seen the people it quickly jumped to defend. You hear about family dogs protecting their owners, but this dog had nothing to do with this woman or her kid, Jones said. He was like her guardian angel. After the alleged thief ran away, Angela quickly placed her son, Jordan, in the car and tried to drive off. Before she could, though, the dog jumped into her backseat, waiting with her for the police and animal control officers to arrive at the scene. The dog was transported to a local shelter and if his owners donAngel. Animal control officers and shelter workers believe Angel is lost, and not a stray, because of his good health, sturdy weight and mild temperament. It Jones said of Angel's possible owners. For Angela, it doesn't matter where the dog came from, just that he was there when she needed him most. I don Angela told NBC2 News. For a small town with a population of 46,452, animal control officers were kept busy Monday afternoon. Jones says they department also responded to a report about a boa constrictor in a church parking lot. The snake found its way into a car engine and was able to be removed without being harmed. It took three people to move the massive, seemingly random placed snake. It he said of the Gulf Coast town. And we can go for four or five months without the media contacting us about a story. It Officers from the responding county sheriff's office canvased the area and were unable to locate the suspect described as being in his 20s, tall and dark haired. Tell us what you think about Stray Dog Saves Woman, Child Held at Knifepoint below. Share your favorite videos by clicking on the ZootooTV tab. Send us your story ideas by e-mailing us at news@zootoo.com or by calling us at 877-777-4204. Pet Pulse reporter Amy Lieberman and NBC-2.com contributed to this article.

I have a Ford Explorer (20 to 24 mpg), DH a [2008-11-17]
Subaru wagon (24 to 30 mpg) and we have the trusty old Ford P/U for hauling wood, etc, that is used only a couple of times a year.

After years of owning only American cars, I now own a Prius. [2008-11-17]
I'm getting 50 mpg even on the PA turnpike. I'm extremely happy with it and would buy another in a heartbeat. Earlier in the year, Toyota announced that they will be building Prius in the U.S., too.

93 Buick LeSabre and 93 Chevy Silverado [2008-11-17]
The truck mileage sucks, only 12 mpg. Hubby wanted to buy a Toyota this year but with his work being so slow, he's stuck with the Chevy. He's had nothing but problems with it. My last car was a The engine was like brand new, only 45,000 miles when we bought it in 2003. I miss it. It went to the car graveyard after we took the engine out to put in the Buick above. We always pay cash for our cars, so really don't ever buy brand new. Got the Buick for nothing because it had a blown engine and I found 3 cents in it to boot. Now that's a deal. LOL We owned a Datsun Maxima back in the 80s, but it was a diesel and I didn't like it. Gave me backache, and the only other foreign car we owned was a ྄ Opel. That was a good car and comfortable to drive. We always bought American.

Our tree is undecorated until 12/24. [2008-11-17]
Maybe itLittle Christmas on January 6. Then all the decorations come down. A few of our neighbors do the same, but it seems that most people start Christmas at Thanksgiving and then have everything down the day after. I do have a selfish reason for enjoying the Christmas season, which is that my birthday is 12/26, and I LOVE having Christmas decorations up on my birthday! People with normal birthdays in the middle of the year don't get to do that!

My car is foreign...sm [2008-11-17]
I have always owned foeign cars. I currently drive a new Kia Spectra. I just bought it in May of this year. I am quite proud of it. It gets great mileage for me especially on road trips. I drove a VW New Beetle before I got the Kia, and I currently have it up for sale right now. It was a 99 model. Before the VW, I had a Toyota Corolla. Those are great cars. Before the Corolla I had a Toyota Camry. Before the Camry I had a Mitsibishi Eclipse. My first car was a Toyota Tercel. I don't have anything against American I just always like the cars I picked.

Never before Dec.10 but this year need uplifting sm [2008-11-17]
Perhaps I can ask hubby to drag out my nice blue spruce from the basement for Thanksgiving as where I live the recession is hitting big and we need some joy. I will never forget the kids discovering the tree was fake as it is pretty well made and looks real. It was a hilarious moment of shrieking, Hey, Guys, this tree is fake! Used tohave beautiful, country-themed tastefullydecorated trees and wreaths put up in mid-Dec.So, what the heck, Ireason why I went fake and a bad tree that got so bald by Christmas we had to take it down and had no tree at all that year. Just trying to be festive and lighten the mood. Maybe I will go early, depending on hubbyThat thing again! Oh well.Gotta loosen up a bit.

Trak phone users -- [2008-11-17]
I He He often earns money mowing grass, in addition to birthday/holiday money that he receives throughout the year. He So, my question is, can you text with Trak phones? I don Do the minutes expire on Trak phones?